JP2016066064A - Image forming apparatus, erasing apparatus, and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

A technique for image processing for the purpose of security protection of printed matter is provided. An image forming apparatus includes a control unit and an image forming unit. A control part produces | generates the authority information which shows the authority for every said erasable color material which can decolor the several erasable color material erased on different predetermined erasing conditions. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium using the plurality of erasable color materials, and forms a mark related to the authority information on the recording medium. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The embodiment described in this specification relates to a technique for the purpose of security protection of printed matter.

  Conventionally, the technique of Patent Document 1 is known as a superposition technique of decoloring toner using a decoloring color material. In the invention of Patent Document 1, a decolored toner is printed on the entire surface, and an image is formed after the toner is decolored. Such a technique is a technique for the purpose of improving the security problem and visibility due to the remaining toner image after erasing. In addition, a tint block printing technique for the purpose of text security protection is known.

JP 2012-78808 A

  In the prior art, in order to disclose the document content only to a specific person, a specific configuration of printing and erasing using a erasable color material has not been devised.

  An object of the embodiment is to provide a technique for image processing for the purpose of protecting the security of printed matter.

According to the embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes a control unit and an image forming unit.
A control part produces | generates the authority information which shows the authority for every said erasable color material which can decolor the several erasable color material erased on different predetermined erasing conditions.
The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium using the plurality of erasable color materials, and forms a mark related to the authority information on the recording medium.

According to the embodiment, the decoloring apparatus includes a decoloring unit and a control unit.
The erasing unit erases an image formed on the recording medium using a plurality of erasable color materials having different erasing conditions.
The control unit grasps authority information indicating authority for each erasable color material capable of erasing the erasable color material. Further, the control unit controls the erasing operation of the erasing unit so that the image of the erasable color material is erased according to the grasped authority information.

It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the image processing apparatus by embodiment. 1 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the user management database used for the image processing apparatus by embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the recording medium management database used for the image processing apparatus by embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment prior to image formation. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation at the time of image formation of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment prior to image formation. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment prior to image formation. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment prior to image formation. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a sheet on which an image is formed by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation at the time of image erasing of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which the image processing apparatus by embodiment displays before image decoloring. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which the image processing apparatus by embodiment displays before image decoloring.

  Further embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or similar parts.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment. The image processing apparatus 100 functions as an image forming apparatus and an image erasing apparatus.
Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a document reading unit 31 in order to function as an image forming apparatus.
The document reading unit 31 outputs image data of a document by scanning a document set by a user on a document table (not shown) or an automatic document feeder.
Furthermore, the image processing apparatus 100 includes an image forming unit 13 in order to function as an image forming apparatus.

The image forming unit 13 forms an image on a recording medium such as a sheet using a color material that can be erased and a color material that cannot be erased.
The decolorizable color material is a color material that can be decolored under predetermined conditions. In the present embodiment, as will be described later, an example in which a color material that is erased at a predetermined decoloring temperature is used as the predetermined condition will be described.
The image forming unit 13 includes a first image forming unit 13A, a second image forming unit 13B, a transfer belt 13C, and a transfer roller 16 shown in FIG.

  Further, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a paper feeding unit 10, a conveyance path 11, a heating unit 15, and a paper discharge unit 20 in order to function as an image forming apparatus and an image erasing apparatus. Further, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a sheet reading unit 14 that operates when functioning as an image erasing apparatus.

The sheet feeding unit 10 supplies the sheet to the inside of the image processing apparatus 100 in order to form an image on the sheet or to erase the image of the color erasable material formed on the sheet.
The paper feed unit 10 includes a plurality of paper feed trays 21 and 22 for storing sheets set in advance by a user for image formation or image erasing.
Further, the paper feed unit 10 includes a paper feed tray 23 that holds sheets set by the user each time for image formation or image erasing. The sheet feeding unit 10 takes out a sheet from the sheet feeding tray 21-23 using a pickup roller (not shown) provided corresponding to the sheet feeding tray 21-23 and sends it out to the conveyance path 11.

The conveyance path 11 has a plurality of conveyance rollers (not shown). Each conveyance roller is, for example, a roller pair including a driving roller and a driven roller.
In the conveyance path 11, a transfer roller 16, a sheet reading unit 14, and a heating unit 15 are sequentially arranged from the upstream side.
The conveyance path 11 conveys the sheet supplied from the sheet feeding tray 21-23 in the order of the transfer roller 16, the sheet reading unit 14, and the heating unit 15, and further conveys the sheet to the paper discharge unit 20.

The first image forming unit 13A forms an image using a color erasable color material.
The second image forming unit 13B forms an image using a color erasable material.
Therefore, the image processing apparatus 100 is a so-called hybrid type image forming apparatus.
The first image forming unit 13A and the second image forming unit 13B are arranged along the transfer belt 13C. The first image forming unit 13A and the second image forming unit 13B are not shown, such as a photoreceptor, a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, and a transfer device, for example, in order to form an image by a known electrophotographic method. Process means.
The first image forming unit 13A and the second image forming unit 13B form images of the respective color materials on the respective photoreceptors, and transfer the images of the formed color materials to the transfer belt 13C.

The transfer belt 13C travels endlessly in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. The first image forming unit 13A and the second image forming unit 13B are arranged along the transfer belt 13C in order from the upstream in the traveling direction of the transfer belt 13C.
Therefore, when the image processing apparatus 100 forms an image using both the color erasable material and the color erasable material, the transfer belt 13C has the color erasable material on the image of the color erasable material. The images are superimposed and transferred.
The transfer belt 13 </ b> C travels endlessly to convey the color material image to a position in contact with the transfer roller 16.

The transfer roller 16 transfers the image on the transfer belt 13C onto a sheet conveyed along the conveyance path 11 for image formation.
Therefore, when the image processing apparatus 100 forms an image using both the color erasable material and the color erasable color material, the image of the color erasable color material is formed on the sheet on the color erasable color material. The image superimposed with is transferred.

  The color erasable material and the color erasable color material are toners used for electrophotography. When the color erasable material is heated to a predetermined color erasing temperature, the color disappears and becomes transparent. The non-decolorable toner does not lose its color even when heated to the decoloring temperature.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 100 includes two first image forming units 13A and two second image forming units 13B. The two first image forming units 13A form images using non-decolorable color materials having different colors.
In order to form a full-color image, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a first image forming unit 13A having a cyan color material, a first image forming unit 13A having a yellow color material, and a first image forming unit having a magenta color material. One image forming unit 13A and four first image forming units 13A of the first image forming unit 13A having a black color material may be provided. The four first image forming units 13A in this case are also arranged along the transfer belt 13C.

The first image forming unit 13A forms an image based on the image data of the document output from the document reading unit 31 in a first normal printing mode described later.
Specifically, the first image forming unit 13A forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor based on the image data of the document. The first image forming unit 13 </ b> A further develops the electrostatic latent image by supplying the color erasable material to the photoconductor using the developing unit. By developing the electrostatic latent image, an image of a color erasable material is formed on the photoreceptor. The image of the color erasable material is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer belt 13C and the transfer roller 16 as described above.

Further, the first image forming unit 13A forms an image based on the image data of the document in a security printing mode described later, and also forms a print mark 1003 (see FIG. 10) related to authority information described later.
Specifically, the first image forming unit 13A forms an electrostatic latent image based on the image data of the document and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the print mark 1003 on the photoconductor. The first image forming unit 13A further uses the developing device to supply the non-decolorable color material to the photoconductor to develop the electrostatic latent image, whereby the image of the non-decolorable color material is applied to the photoconductor. Form. The image of the color erasable material is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer belt 13C and the transfer roller 16, as in the first normal printing mode described above.

  The image data of the original includes image data such as various characters, charts and photographs. The image processing apparatus 100 can also acquire image data of an original from an external apparatus via, for example, an I / F (Interface) 206 described later.

On the other hand, the two second image forming units 13B form images using first and second erasable color materials having different erasing temperatures.
The second image forming unit 13B forms an image based on the image data of the document in a second normal printing mode described later. The image forming method in the second normal printing mode is the same as that in the first normal printing mode except that the color material to be used is different.
The second image forming unit 13B further forms a coating image (for example, a solid image) that covers the image of the color erasable material in the security printing mode.
Specifically, the second image forming unit 13B forms a solid image by supplying a decolorable color material to the photoconductor using the developing device.

The solid image of the color erasable material is transferred to the transfer belt 13C so as to be superimposed on a part or the entire surface of the image of the color erasable material that has been previously transferred to the transfer belt 13C.
The image of the color erasable material and the coating image (solid image) of the color erasable color material are transferred to the sheet by the transfer belt 13C and the transfer roller 16, as in the first and second normal printing modes described above. .

The first erasable color material is, for example, a black color material, and the erasing temperature is 140 ° C. The second color erasable color material is, for example, a blue color material, and the color erasing temperature is 130 ° C.
Accordingly, one second image forming unit 13B forms an image using the black first erasable color material having a high erasing temperature. The other second image forming unit 13B forms an image using the blue second erasable color material having a low erasing temperature.
That is, the second image forming unit 13B forms an image using a plurality of decolorizable color materials having different decoloring temperatures.
The number of second image forming units 13B and the number of erasable color materials to be used (the number of types) are not particularly limited. However, in the security printing mode, the more erasable color materials, the more gradual security. The protection and release of is realized.

In the present embodiment, the second image forming unit 13B is detachably attached to the image processing apparatus 100. Accordingly, the two second image forming units 13B having the first and second erasable color materials can be replaced with the second image forming unit 13B having the third and fourth erasable color materials. The third erasable color material has a erasing temperature of, for example, 120 ° C., and the fourth erasable color material has, for example, 110 ° C.
The colors of the third and fourth erasable color materials may be the same color as the first and second erasable color materials, or may be different colors.
The image processing apparatus 100 can form an image using four types of decolorable color materials by replacing the second image forming unit 13B.

As described above, the color material image transferred to the transfer belt 13 </ b> C is conveyed toward the transfer roller 16 by being carried on the transfer belt 13 </ b> C, and transferred to the sheet by the transfer roller 16. The sheet on which the color material image has been transferred is conveyed along the conveyance path 11 in the order of the sheet reading unit 14 and the heating unit 15, and then discharged to the paper discharge unit 20.
The paper discharge unit 20 has a plurality of discharge trays, and accommodates the sheet on which the color material image is formed in one of the discharge trays.

The sheet reading unit 14 includes a pair of two-dimensional CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensors 204 (see FIG. 2).
The sheet reading unit 14 reads one side of the conveyed sheet with one two-dimensional CCD sensor 204 and the other side with the other two-dimensional CCD sensor 204.
The sheet surface image data read by the sheet reading unit 14 is stored in a RAM (Random Access Memory) 203 serving as a storage unit (see FIG. 2).
The storage destination of the image data read by the sheet reading unit 14 is not limited to the RAM 203, and may be another internal device such as the storage device 207 (see FIG. 2) or an external device (see FIG. 2). The external device includes, for example, a network server (not shown) or a user PC (Personal Computer).

  When the image processing apparatus 100 functions as a decoloring apparatus, the sheet reading unit 14 extracts a print mark 1003 (see FIG. 10) related to authority information printed on the sheet prior to the decoloring process described later. Then, the reading operation of the sheet surface is performed. The print mark 1003 includes data corresponding to a recording medium ID described later. In other words, the sheet reading unit 14 performs the reading operation of the sheet surface in order to extract the recording medium ID. The image processing apparatus 100 grasps authority information, which will be described later, based on the recording medium ID extracted using the sheet reading unit 14.

The heating unit 15 includes a roller pair including a heater 205 (see FIG. 2), and heats the entire surface of the sheet passing through the roller pair.
The heating unit 15 functions as a fixing unit when the image processing apparatus 100 functions as an image forming apparatus, and functions as a decoloring unit when the image processing apparatus 100 functions as a decoloring apparatus.

  When the heating unit 15 functions as a fixing unit, the heating temperature of the heating unit 15 is controlled to a predetermined fixing temperature by the CPU 200 (see FIG. 2), for example. The fixing temperature is a temperature at which the erasable color material and the non-erasable color material are fixed to the sheet. Further, the fixing temperature is lower than the decoloring temperature. The heater 205 of the heating unit 15 heats the roller pair during image formation. The roller pair of the heating unit 15 fixes the image of the color erasable material transferred to the sheet and the image of the color erasable color material transferred to the sheet by heating at the fixing temperature.

On the other hand, when the heating unit 15 functions as a decoloring unit, the heating temperature of the heating unit 15 is set to a decoloring temperature corresponding to the type of decolorable color material by the CPU 200, for example, the decoloring of the first decolorable color material. The temperature or the color erasing temperature of the second color erasable material is selectively controlled.
The heater 205 of the heating unit 15 heats the roller pair when the image is erased. The roller pair of the heating unit 15 erases the color of the color erasable color material transferred to one or both sides of the sheet by heating at the color erasing temperature.

The sheet subjected to the fixing process or the decoloring process by the heating unit 15 is discharged to one of the discharge trays of the paper discharge unit 20.
Which discharge tray the sheet is discharged to is determined by default settings, and can be changed by settings based on user input operations.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the image processing apparatus 100. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 200 that is a control unit. Further, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202, a RAM 203, and an I / F (Interface) 206, which are connected to the CPU 200 via the system bus 201. The I / F 206 is connected to an external device in order to input data from the external device and output data to the external device. The CPU 200 can communicate with various external devices via an I / F 206 connected via the system bus 201.
Further, the CPU 200 further includes a document reading unit 31, a two-dimensional CCD sensor 204 of the sheet reading unit 14, a heater 205 of the heating unit 15, and the first and second image forming units 13 </ b> A, as described above via the system bus 201. 13B is connected.

  Furthermore, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a storage device 207 such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a sheet conveyance controller 208, and an operation unit 210 including a display unit 211, which are connected to the CPU 200 via the system bus 201, and A sheet conveyance motor 209 connected to the sheet conveyance controller 208 is included. The sheet transport motor 209 drives the transport roller disposed in the transport path 11. The sheet conveyance controller 208 controls the sheet conveyance motor 209.

  The ROM 202 stores a program for operating the CPU 200, various data (parameters) for default settings of each unit of the apparatus, and the like.

The RAM 203 stores image data obtained when the sheet surface is read by the CCD sensor 204 of the sheet reading unit 14. The CCD sensor 204 is arranged on both sides of the conveyance path 11 as a line sensor, and reads an image on the sheet surface by detecting the color density of the sheet surface.
As described above, the heater 205 heats the roller pair of the heating unit 15 to a predetermined temperature for the fixing process and the decoloring process. The roller pair of the heating unit 15 heats the passing sheet by the heat of the heater 205. As the heater 205, a heat source such as an IH heater is used.

The storage device 207 is an HDD, for example, and stores a user management database and a recording medium management database, which will be described later.
Further, the storage device 207 stores the setting data (parameter) when the administrator or the user changes the default setting of each part of the device by setting input.
Further, the storage device 207 can store operation history data of the device and other various data to be stored.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user management database stored in the storage device 207.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a recording medium management database stored in the storage device 207.
The user management database is a database for managing users who use the image processing apparatus 100.
As shown in FIG. 3, in the user management database, a user name, a user ID, and user information are registered for each user in association with each other.

The user ID is identification data for identifying the user.
The user information is, for example, job title information of the user in the organization to which the user belongs. In the user management database of FIG. 3, user title information such as “President”, “Department Manager”, “Section Manager”, “None”, etc. is registered as user information.
The recording medium management database is a database for managing authority information, which will be described later, in units of sheets that are recording media.
The recording medium management database is a database referred to for erasing an image (coating image) of a color erasable material formed on the sheet in the security printing mode, but is formed on the sheet in the second normal printing mode. Reference may be made to erase an image of a color material that can be erased.
Hereinafter, the recording medium management database will be described as a database referred to for erasing the coating image of the erasable color material formed on the sheet in the security printing mode.
As shown in FIG. 4, in the recording medium management database, a password, a used color material, an image area, and authority information are registered in association with the recording medium ID.
The recording medium ID is identification data for identifying a sheet, and is data given to each sheet at the time of image formation.
The password is user-specific data such as a character string input by the user at the time of image formation.

The color material used is the type of color erasable color material used for the coating image. In FIG. 4, “Color Material 1” corresponds to the first erasable color material, “Color Material 2” corresponds to the second erasable color material, and “Color Material 3” corresponds to the first color material. 3 corresponds to the color erasable color material, and “Color material 4” corresponds to the fourth color erasable color material.
The image area is an area where a coating image is formed on the sheet. In FIG. 4, “upper” means an upper region in the sheet. “Lower” means the lower area of the sheet. “Entire surface” means the entire area of the sheet. “Left” means the left area of the sheet. “Right” means the area on the right side of the sheet. “Medium” means an intermediate region in the sheet. “Lower left” means the lower left area of the sheet. “Upper right” means the upper right region of the sheet.

  The authority information is information indicating the authority for each erasable color material capable of erasing the erasable color material. Specifically, the authority information is user information indicating a specific user who is given the authority to decolor an image of a color erasable color material for each color erasable color material. For example, in the recording medium management database of FIG. 4, information such as “President”, “Department Manager”, “Manager”, “Department Manager”, “Department Manager”, “Non-setting”, etc. is registered as authority information.

  “President” means that only the user who is the president is authorized to erase the color. “Department manager” means that only the user who is a department manager has the authority to delete the color. The “section manager” means that only the user who is a section manager has the authority to erase the color. “Director or higher” means that only the user who is the general manager and the manager who is higher than the general manager (in this embodiment, the president) can be given the authority to erase the color. “Section manager or higher” means that only the user who is a section manager or a manager who is higher than the section manager (in the present embodiment, the president and the section manager) has the authority to erase the color. “Non-setting” means that all users including the president, the department manager, the section manager, and the general person who does not have a job title are given the authority to be erased.

  For example, according to the recording medium management database of FIG. 4, a password is set for the sheet to which the recording medium ID “P001” is assigned, and an image of the color material 1 is formed in the lower area. The authority to erase the image is given to users who are general managers or higher, that is, the president and general manager. Further, on the sheet with the recording medium ID “P001”, the image of the color material 2 is formed in the upper area, and the authority to erase the color material 2 is “not set”, that is, given to all users. It is done.

  The authority information is generated by the CPU 200 based on the setting content input by the user in the authority information input unit 211C1 of the second setting screen 211C (see FIG. 8) described later. The CPU 200 registers the generated authority information in the recording medium management database in association with the recording medium ID.

The operation unit 210 includes a display unit 211 and various operation keys, and is disposed, for example, at the top of the apparatus main body as shown in FIG.
The various operation keys of the operation unit 210 include, for example, a numeric keypad, a stop key, a start key, and the like. The operation unit 210 accepts various setting inputs and instruction inputs of the user related to image formation and image erasing via various operation keys.
The display unit 211 displays setting information including various processing modes of the image processing apparatus 100, operation status, log information, or a message to the user. The display unit 211 includes a touch panel display. The operation unit 210 also receives various setting inputs and instruction inputs of the user from the display unit 211.
Accordingly, the user can perform, for example, start and stop (interruption) instructions, settings for changing various initial setting states, and the like regarding image formation and image erasing via the operation unit 210.

  Further, the CPU 200 extracts the print mark 1003 related to the authority information from the image data read by the sheet reading unit 14, thereby recognizing the corresponding recording medium ID and controlling a decoloring process described later.

  FIG. 5 shows a display unit when the image processing apparatus 100 forms an image according to the document image data acquired from the document reading unit 31 or forms an image according to the document image data acquired from an external device such as a client PC. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a screen displayed in 211. Note that the screen shown in FIG. 5 and the screens shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 to be described later may be displayed on a display unit such as a client PC.

As shown in FIG. 5, the display unit 211 displays a selection screen 211A for selecting a print mode.
The print mode is a mode in which the image processing apparatus 100 forms an image. The print mode includes a normal print mode and a security print mode. The normal printing mode includes first and second normal printing modes.
The first normal printing mode is a printing mode in which an image is formed using the color erasable material. The second normal printing mode is a printing mode in which an image is formed using the erasable color material. The security printing mode is a printing mode in which an image is formed using a color erasable material and a coating image that covers an image of the color erasable material is formed using a color erasable material.
The selection screen 211A includes a “first normal printing (non-decolorable)” button 211A1, a “second normal print (decolorable)” button 211A2, and a “security print (non-decolorable image + decolorable coating)” button 211A3. And message area 211A4.

The message area 211A4 is a display area for displaying a message for prompting the user to select a print mode.
The display unit 211 displays a character string such as “Please select a print mode” in the message area 211A4 as a message for prompting the user to select a print mode.
The button 211A1 is a button for accepting selection of the first normal printing mode by the user.
The button 211A2 is a button for accepting selection of the second normal printing mode by the user.
The button 211A3 is a button for accepting selection of a secure print mode by the user.
Accordingly, the user can select either the first normal print mode or the second normal print mode by operating the buttons 211A1 and 211A2 in accordance with the message displayed in the message area 211A4.
The image processing apparatus 100 forms an image according to the first normal printing mode or the second normal printing mode received through the buttons 211A1 and 211A2 of the display unit 211.

Further, the user can select the security printing mode by operating the button 211A3 according to the message displayed in the message area 211A4.
The image processing apparatus 100 forms an image according to the security printing mode received via the button 211A3 of the display unit 211.

  Hereinafter, an operation of the image processing apparatus 100 when the user selects the security printing mode will be described. In the following description, it is assumed that the data of the user who uses the image processing apparatus 100 is already registered in the user management database.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation when the image processing apparatus 100 forms an image according to the security printing mode.
When the user operates the button 211A3 on the selection screen 211A to select the security printing mode, as shown in FIG. 6, in the ACT 101, the CPU 200 displays the first setting screen 211B (see FIG. 7) for the security printing mode. As described above, the display unit 211 of the operation unit 210 is controlled. The display unit 211 displays a first setting screen 211B shown in FIG.

The first setting screen 211B is a screen for accepting designation of an image area where a coating image is formed and selection of a color erasable color material used for forming the coating image.
The first setting screen 211B includes a plurality of color material icons 211B11, 211B12, 211B13, 211B14, and a print preview area 211B4.
The print preview area 211B4 is a display area in which an image of the sheet P on which an image of a document formed using non-erasable toner is formed is displayed. The display unit 211 displays the image of the sheet P in the print preview area 211B4 based on the document image data.
Of the plurality of color material icons 211B11 to 211B14, for example, the color material icon 211B11 corresponds to the first decolorizable color material, the color material icon 211B12 corresponds to the second decolorizable color material, and the color The material icon 211B13 corresponds to the second erasable color material, and the color material icon 211B14 corresponds to the fourth erasable color material.

  However, as described above, the image processing apparatus 100 can be equipped with two second image forming units 13B. In other words, the image processing apparatus 100 can be equipped with two second image forming units 13B at the same time, but cannot be equipped with four second image forming units 13B. Therefore, when the image processing apparatus 100 is equipped with two second image forming units 13B that form images using the first and second erasable color materials, the color material icons 211B11 and 211B12 are displayed by the user. The operation is enabled and the color material icons 211B13 and 211B14 are disabled. On the other hand, when the two second image forming units 13B that form images using the third and fourth erasable color materials are mounted, the color material icons 211B13 and 211B14 accept the user's operation. The valid state becomes possible, and the color material icons 211B11 and 211B12 become invalid.

Further, the color material icons 211B11 to 211B14 are displayed on the first setting screen 211B in the order corresponding to the decolorization temperature of the corresponding decolorizable color material.
For example, in FIG. 7, the color material icon 211B11 corresponding to the first decolorizable color material having the highest decolorization temperature is displayed at the top position, and the second decolorizable color material having the second highest decolorization temperature. The color material icon 211B12 corresponding to is displayed at the second position from the top.

For example, the color material icons 211B11 and 211B12 in the valid state can be moved to an arbitrary position in the preview area 211B4 and can be changed in size in the preview area 211B4 by a user operation.
For example, the user can select a color erasable color material corresponding to the color material icon as a color erasable color material used for forming the coating image by touching any one of the color material icons 211B11 and 211B12.
Furthermore, the user can move the selected color material icon to an arbitrary position in the preview area 211B4 by dragging and dropping the selected color material icon. Furthermore, the user can set the size of the color material icon by touching the end side of the color material icon. Further, the user selects the center portion of the color material icon and performs fine adjustment of the position of the color material icon by, for example, operating a cursor key. The user's operation may be performed with a pointing device such as a mouse.

The user can designate an image area in which a coating image is formed by the above operation for setting the position of the color material icon and the size of the color material icon.
The user performs the above operation for setting the position and size of the same color material icon or different color material icons a plurality of times, thereby forming a plurality of coating images with the same or different types of decolorable color materials. An image area can be specified.
The display unit 211 displays a pull-down menu in the form of a coating image by accepting a user menu request operation on the first setting screen 211B. Coating image forms include forms such as a “solid” form, a “shaded” form, a “shaded” form, and various “patterns”. The display unit 211 accepts selection of the coating image form by the user via the coating image form pull-down menu.
Thus, for example, the user can select the desired color material icon and change the coating image form from the default form (eg, solid) to another desired form (eg, shaded). When the form of the coating image is other than “solid painting”, a part of the image made of the color erasable material can be visually recognized, and the user selects the form of the coating image as necessary.

The first setting screen 211B further includes a determination button 211B2, a cancel button 211B3, and a message area 211B5.
In the message area 211B5, a message for prompting the setting of the coating image and an explanation regarding the setting of the coating image are displayed.
The display unit 211 displays, for example, a character string such as “Please select a coating area and color material” in the message area 211B5 of the first setting screen 211B as a message for prompting the user to set a coating image. . For example, the display unit 211 may include a character string such as “When the entire sheet is coated with one color material, color material 1 is automatically set” and “a plurality of color materials”. When the sheet is coated, a character string such as “Coloring material 1 (high decoloring temperature) −Coloring material 4 (low decoloring temperature) can be used” is displayed in the message area 211B5.

The decision button 211B2 is a button for accepting a user operation for instructing the completion of setting the coating image.
The cancel button 211B3 is a button for accepting a user operation for instructing to cancel the setting of the coating image.
When the determination button 211B2 receives a user operation, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT102.
In ACT 102, the CPU 200 controls the display unit 211 of the operation unit 210 so that the second setting screen 211C of the security print mode is displayed.
The display unit 211 displays a second setting screen 211C shown in FIG. The second setting screen 211C is a screen for accepting the setting of the authority information for each color material forming the coating image.

The second setting screen 211C includes a message area 211C5, a print preview area 211C4, and an authority information input unit 211C1.
The message area 211C5 is a display area for displaying a message for prompting the user to set the authority information.
The display unit 211 displays a character string such as “Please set authority information for the color material used for forming the coating image” as a message for prompting the setting of authority information in the message area 211C5.
The print preview area 211C4 is the color material of the coating image and the image area of the coating image (display area on which the dot-dash line area in FIG. 8 is displayed) set on the first setting screen 211B shown in FIG.
The display unit 211 adds the type of the color material of the coating image and the image area where the coating image is formed to the image of the sheet P in the print preview area 211B4 of FIG. 7, and displays the image in the print preview area 211C4.
For example, in the print preview area 211C4 of the second setting screen 211C shown in FIG. 8, the image area of the coating image by the color material 2 and the image area of the coating image by the color material 1 set on the first setting screen 211B are Each one is displayed.
The authority information input unit 211C1 accepts user input related to authority information for each color material.

The authority information input unit 211C1 includes a color material display unit 211C11, a first input field 211C12, and a first input field 211C13.
The color material display unit 211C11 is a display unit that shows the first and second decolorizable color materials selected on the first setting screen 211B of FIG. Specifically, the color material display unit 211C11 illustrated as “color material 1” is a display unit that indicates the first color material that can be erased. A color material icon 211C11 illustrated as “color material 2” is a display unit indicating a second color material that can be erased.
The first input field 211C12 receives input of user's post information that can erase the color material that can be erased.
The second input field 211C13 accepts input of range information of the user's post.
The first and second input fields 211C12 and 211C13 are displayed for each of the color material display portions 211C11.
The title information of the user input in the first input field 211C12 corresponds to the user information in the user management database (see FIG. 3).
The first input field 211C12 accepts the user's menu request operation and displays a pull-down menu related to the user's post information. The user can select, for example, any one of “President”, “Department Manager”, “Section Manager”, and “None” in the pull-down menu related to post information.
Furthermore, the second input field 211C13 accepts a user pull-down operation and displays a pull-down menu related to the range information of the user's post. The user can select, for example, “above”, “only”, or “other” in the pull-down menu related to the range information of the post.

In FIG. 8, the “department manager” that is the user's post information is input to the first input field 211C12 corresponding to the color material display part 211C11 of the first erasable color material (color material 1), and the second input field 211C13 It shows a state in which “or more”, which is the range information of the user's job title, is input.
Further, FIG. 8 shows that the user post information and the user post range information are input to the first and second input fields 211C12 and 211C13 corresponding to the color material display portion 211C11 of the second decolorizable color material (color material 2). Instead, it shows a state in which the character string “not set” is displayed in the first input field 211C12.

The second setting screen 211C further includes a determination button 211C2 and a cancel button 211C3, similar to the first setting screen described above. When the user completes the input of the authority information and operates the determination button 211C2 on the second setting screen 211C, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT103. In ACT 103, the CPU 200 controls the display unit 211 of the operation unit 210 so that the third setting screen 211D (see FIG. 9) of the security print mode is displayed. The display unit 211 displays a third setting screen 211D shown in FIG. The third setting screen 211D is a screen that accepts the setting of the recording medium ID for the sheet and the input of the password.
The third setting screen 211D includes a confirmation unit 211D1, a password input unit 211D2, a message area 211D5, an enter button 211D3, and a cancel button 211D4.
The message area 211D5 is a display area for displaying a confirmation message regarding the setting of the recording medium ID and an explanation message for the password.
The display unit 211 displays, for example, a character string such as “Do you want to create a recording medium ID?” As a confirmation message in the message area 211D5, and a password explanation message such as “If you want to create a recording medium ID, the password When setting, please enter the password to be used within 10 characters ".

The confirmation unit 211D1 accepts an input by the user as to whether or not to create a recording medium ID.
Password input unit 211D2 accepts input of a password by the user.
In the confirmation unit 211D1, the user selects either a “create” or “do not create” check mark for the recording medium ID with, for example, a mouse. Furthermore, when setting a password, the user inputs an arbitrary character string as a password with a key button or the like in the password input unit 211D2. This password is notified to each user registered in the user management database, for example. When no password is set, the user operates the “OK” button without inputting a character string.

When the user completes the setting related to the recording medium ID, the user operates the determination button 211D3 in the third setting screen 211D. When the determination button 211D3 accepts the user's operation, the display unit 211 outputs the setting contents received via the first to third setting screens 211B-211D to the CPU 200. The CPU 200 temporarily stores the setting content output from the display unit 211 in the RAM 203.
When the setting contents temporarily stored in the RAM 203 are set to create a recording medium ID (see FIG. 9), the CPU 200 refers to the recording medium management database and generates a new recording medium ID. To do. Further, based on the setting contents, the CPU 200 determines the password (see FIG. 9), the color material used for forming the coating image (see FIG. 7), the image area where the coating image is formed (see FIG. 7), and the user's Authority information (see FIG. 8) is generated in association with the new recording medium ID and registered in the recording medium management database (see FIG. 4).
For the image area on which the coating image is formed, the recording medium management database in FIG. 4 exemplifies simplified area information such as “upper”, “lower”, “entire surface”, “lower left”, “upper right”, etc. However, in practice, position information (coordinate information) on the sheet corresponding to the image area where the coating image is formed is registered.

When the CPU 200 temporarily stores the setting content in the RAM 203 and registers the setting content in the recording medium management database, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 104. In ACT 104, when receiving an image formation start instruction from the user via the operation unit 210, for example, the CPU 200 starts control for the sheet feeding operation.
Specifically, the CPU 200 outputs a control signal to the sheet conveyance controller 208.
The sheet conveyance controller 208 drives the sheet feeding unit 10 and the sheet conveyance motor 209 based on the control signal. The sheet feeding unit 10 supplies sheets from any one of the sheet feeding trays 21 to 23 to the conveyance path 11. The sheet conveyance motor 209 conveys the sheet supplied to the conveyance path 11 to the transfer roller 16 by operating the conveyance roller of the conveyance path 11.

  For example, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 105 and ACT 106 in accordance with the timing at which the sheet is supplied to the conveyance path 11. In ACT 105, when the setting content temporarily stored in the RAM 203 is set to create a recording medium ID, the CPU 200 generates image data of the print mark 1003 corresponding to the new recording medium ID. To do. The CPU 200 sets the first image forming unit 13A and the transfer belt 13C in order to form an image of a color erasable material based on the image data of the original and an image of a color erasable material based on the image data of the print mark 1003. Make it work. The first image forming unit 13 </ b> A uses a color erasable color material on the photoconductor so that the image of the color erasable color material based on the image data of the original and the color erasable color material based on the image data of the print mark 1003 are used. The image is formed. The first image forming unit 13A transfers the images of these non-decolorable color materials from the photoreceptor to the transfer belt 13C. The transfer belt 13C travels while carrying an image of a color erasable material. The print mark is for recognizing the recording medium ID and includes, for example, an n × m dot matrix. The image of the print mark is formed in the area of the photoreceptor corresponding to the blank area (see FIG. 10) of the sheet. The print mark may be in the form of a barcode or the like as long as the print medium ID can be recognized.

  In ACT 106, the CPU 200 determines a decolorizable color material to be used by the second image forming unit 13 </ b> B based on information on the decolorable color material included in the setting content temporarily stored in the RAM 203. Further, the CPU 200 determines an image area in which a coating image included in the setting content is formed. The CPU 200 operates the second image forming unit 13B so that a coating image of the determined color erasable material is formed in the determined image area. The second image forming unit 13B uses the determined color erasable material to form a coating image of the color erasable material on the area of the photoreceptor corresponding to the determined image area. The second image forming unit 13B transfers the coating image of the color erasable material to the transfer belt 13C onto which the image of the color erasable material is transferred. The coating image of the color erasable color material is superimposed on the image of the color erasable color material transferred to the area corresponding to the determined image area on the transfer belt 13C. Accordingly, the image of the color erasable color material in the image area designated by the user on the second setting screen 211C is overlaid with the coating image of the color erasable color material designated by the user on the first setting screen 211B. Is called.

The transfer belt 13C carries the image of the color erasable material and the coating image of the color erasable material so as to transfer the image of the color erasable material and the coating image of the color erasable material. It is conveyed to a position facing the roller 16. The transfer roller 16 transfers the image of the color erasable material and the coating image of the color erasable color material to the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path in cooperation with the transfer belt 13C. The transfer roller 16 conveys the sheet on which the image of the color erasable material and the coating image of the color erasable material are transferred to the heating unit 15.
When the transfer roller 16 transfers the image of the color erasable material and the coating image of the color erasable material onto the sheet, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 107. In ACT 107, the CPU 200 controls the heat generation operation of the heater 2 so that the temperature of the roller pair of the heating unit 15 becomes a predetermined fixing temperature when the sheet reaches the heating unit 15. The roller pair of the heating unit 15 heats the image of the color erasable material transferred to the sheet and the coating image of the color erasable color material transferred to the sheet by the heat generated by the heater 205 and fixes them to the sheet.

When the heating unit 15 fixes the image of the color erasable material and the coating image of the color erasable material on the sheet, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 108. In ACT 108, the CPU 200 controls the sheet conveyance controller 208 in order to discharge the sheet to the paper discharge unit 20. The sheet transport controller 208 transports the sheet passing through the heating unit 15 to the paper discharge unit 20 by operating the transport roller in the transport path 11. The paper discharge unit 20 stores the conveyed sheet in any one of a plurality of discharge trays.
With the above operation, the image processing apparatus 100 ends the printing operation in the security print mode for one sheet.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sheet on which an image is printed in the security print mode. An image is formed on the sheet of FIG. 10 so that the authority information can be grasped. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, in the sheet P, a print mark 1003 related to the authority information is printed in a blank area 1001 indicated by a broken line (lower right side of the sheet P). The print position of the print mark 1003 is not limited to the position of the region, and may be another position as long as it can be read by the sheet reading unit 14. In the sheet P, a coating image is not formed on a character string “confidential (handling)” that is a title of a document among images formed in a print area 1002 other than the blank area 1001. Therefore, anyone can understand that an image including confidential information (handling attention) information is formed on the sheet, but the specific information content cannot be visually recognized by the coating image of the color erasable material. The sheet shown in FIG. 10 is an example in which two coating images having a default “solid coating” form are formed. For example, “a part of an area covered by the coating image can be visually recognized” A “shaded” form of the coating image may be formed. As described above, the form of the coating image is designated by the user on the first setting screen 211B.

As described above, in the security printing mode, the image processing apparatus 100 uses the color erasable color material on a character or the like indicating specific information included in the image formed using the color erasable color material. Can be superimposed. Accordingly, the image processing apparatus 100 can perform security printing in which an image is printed in a state where specific information cannot be visually recognized. Further, in addition to such security printing, the image processing apparatus 100 can set the recording medium ID for each sheet according to user settings, and can further set a password in association with the recording medium ID.
Therefore, the image processing apparatus 100 can selectively erase the color material that can be erased based on the authority information in a color erasing operation described later.
Therefore, the image processing apparatus 100 can perform security protection when restoring (decoloring operation) an image printed in the security print mode, for example.
In the above embodiment, the print mark 1003 related to the authority information has been described as a mark corresponding to the recording medium ID. However, the print mark 1003 is not limited to the mark corresponding to the recording medium ID. The print mark 1003 may be, for example, a mark corresponding to the erasable color material to be used and authority information for each erasable color material (see FIG. 4). In this case, in the ACT 105, the CPU 200 generates image data of the erasable color material and the print mark 1003 corresponding to the authority information for each erasable color material so that the authority information can be grasped.

  Next, a decoloring operation when the image processing apparatus 100 functions as a decoloring apparatus will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the decoloring operation of the image processing apparatus 100.

  The user operates the operation unit 210 of the image processing apparatus 100 to input a decoloring start instruction. When the operation unit 210 receives an instruction to start erasing by the user, in ACT 201 in FIG. 11, the CPU 200 starts control for the sheet feeding operation. Specifically, the CPU 200 outputs a control signal to the sheet conveyance controller 208. The sheet conveyance controller 208 drives the sheet feeding unit 10 and the sheet conveyance motor 209 based on the control signal. The sheet feeding unit 10 supplies sheets from any one of the sheet feeding trays 21 to 23 to the conveyance path 11. The sheet conveyance motor 209 conveys the sheet supplied to the conveyance path 11 to a reading position by the sheet reading unit 14 by operating the conveyance roller of the conveyance path 11.

  When the sheet reaches the reading position by the sheet reading unit 14, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 202. In ACT 202, the sheet reading unit 14 obtains image data of both sides of the sheet by scanning both sides of the sheet. The CPU 200 stores the image data on both sides of the sheet acquired by the sheet reading unit 14 in the RAM 203.

  When the image data on both sides of the sheet is stored in the RAM 203, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 203. In ACT 203, the CPU 200 determines whether or not the recording medium ID is set by determining whether or not the print mark 1003 relating to the authority information on the sheet is formed based on the image data on both sides of the sheet stored in the RAM 203. judge. That is, when the CPU 200 determines that the print mark 1003 is formed on the sheet, the CPU 200 determines that the recording medium ID is set, and determines that the print mark 1003 is not formed on the sheet. It is determined that the medium ID is not set. When the CPU 200 determines that the recording medium ID is not set (No in ACT 203), the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 204. When the CPU 200 determines that the recording medium ID is set (Yes in ACT 203), the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 205.

In ACT 204, the CPU 200 controls the sheet conveyance controller 208 and the heating unit 15 so that all coating images formed on the sheet are erased. The sheet conveying controller 208 drives the sheet conveying motor 209 to operate the conveying roller in the conveying path 11 and convey the sheet to the heating unit 15. Further, when the sheet reaches the heating unit 15, the CPU 200 controls the heat generation operation of the heater 205 so that the temperature of the roller pair of the heating unit 15 becomes a predetermined decoloring temperature. The predetermined erasing temperature is a temperature at which all erasable color materials used in all coating images are erased. The predetermined decoloring temperature is, for example, the decoloring temperature of the first decolorizable color material having a high decoloring temperature among the first and second decolorable color materials. The roller pair of the heating unit 15 erases the coating image of all the color erasable materials formed on the sheet by the heat generated by the heater 205. Due to the decoloring of the coating image, the image of the color erasable material covered with the coating image can be visually recognized.
As described above, in this embodiment, when the recording medium ID is not set, for example, it is regarded that the confidentiality of the non-erasable image formed on the sheet is low, and processing such as password input described later is performed. The coating image is erased without being necessary.

  On the other hand, in ACT 205, the CPU 200 recognizes the recording medium ID corresponding to the print mark 1003 related to the authority information included in the read image data. The CPU 200 refers to the recording medium management database based on the recognized recording medium ID. The CPU 200 refers to the recording medium management database to determine whether or not the password is set in association with the recording medium ID. When the CPU 200 determines that a password is set for the recording medium ID (Yes in ACT 205), the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 206. When CPU 200 determines that a password is not set in association with the recording medium ID (No in ACT 205), the operation of image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 208.

In ACT 206, the CPU 200 controls the display unit 211 of the operation unit 210 so that an input screen 211F (see FIG. 12) for image erasing is displayed. The display unit 211 displays an input screen 211F illustrated in FIG.
The input screen 211F is a screen that accepts input of the password by the user.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the input screen 211F includes a message area 211F1, a user ID input unit 211F2, a password input unit 211F3, a determination button 211F4, and a decoloring cancel button 211F5.
In the message area 211F1, a message requesting the user to input a password is displayed together with the user ID. The display unit 211 displays a character string such as “Please enter user ID and password” in the message area 211F1 as a request message.
The user ID input unit 211F2 receives input of a user ID by the user. The user inputs a character string indicating a user ID into the user ID input unit 211F2 by operating a key button or the like of the operation unit 210.
The password input unit 211F3 accepts input of a password by the user. The user operates a key button or the like of the operation unit 210 to input a character string indicating a password in the password input unit 211F3.

The enter button 211F4 accepts a user operation for instructing completion of input of the user ID and password. When the user completes the input of the user ID and password, the user operates the determination button 211F4.
The decoloring cancel button 211F5 accepts a user operation for instructing decoloring cancellation. The user operates the decoloring cancel button 211F5 when canceling the start instruction of the decoloring operation.
As described above, the input screen 211F in FIG. 12 is a screen that requests the user to input a user ID as well as a password. For example, when the user logs in to the image processing apparatus 100, the image processing apparatus 100 When the input of the user ID is accepted, the input screen 211F may be a screen that requests the user only to input the password.
When the determination button 211F4 receives a determination input by the user, the display unit 211 outputs the user ID input to the user ID input unit 211F2 and the password input to the password input unit 211F3 to the CPU 200. CPU 200 stores the user ID and password output from display unit 211 in RAM 203, for example.

  In the ACT 206, when the display unit 211 outputs the user ID and password to the CPU 200, the operation of the image processing apparatus proceeds to ACT 207. In ACT 207, the CPU 200 refers to the recording medium management database (FIG. 4) based on the recognized recording medium ID (see ACT 205). The CPU 200 determines a password corresponding to the recognized recording medium ID in the recording medium management database by referring to the recording medium management database. The CPU 200 determines whether or not the determined password (password corresponding to the recognized recording medium ID) matches the password stored in the RAM 203 (password entered by the user). When the CPU 200 determines that the two passwords match (Yes in ACT 207), the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 208. When the CPU 200 determines that the two passwords do not match (No in ACT 207), the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 209. In ACT 209, the CPU 200 stops the decoloring operation of the image processing apparatus 100. Furthermore, the CPU 200 controls the display unit 211 so that an error message for the user indicating that the password input by the user is incorrect is displayed.

  On the other hand, in ACT 208, the CPU 200 refers to the user management database and the recording medium management database. The CPU 200 grasps user information (position information) corresponding to the user ID by referring to the user management database. Further, the CPU 200 grasps authority information corresponding to the grasped user information by referring to the recording medium management database. The CPU 200 grasps a color erasable color material used for a coating image that can be erased by a specific user based on the grasped authority information. When the CPU 200 grasps the erasable color material based on the authority information, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 210. In ACT 210, the CPU 200 controls the sheet conveyance controller 208 and the heating unit 15 so that the color erasable color material based on the authority information is erased. In other words, the CPU 200 controls the sheet conveyance controller 208 and the heating unit 15 so that the coating image is erased according to the authority information.

  The sheet conveying controller 208 drives the sheet conveying motor 209 to operate the conveying roller in the conveying path 11 and convey the sheet to the heating unit 15. Further, when the sheet reaches the heating unit 15, the heat generation operation of the heater 205 is controlled so that the temperature of the roller pair of the heating unit 15 becomes a predetermined decoloring temperature. The predetermined decoloring temperature in this case is a temperature at which the decolorable color material (see ACT 208) based on the authority information is decolored. That is, the CPU 200 determines the predetermined erasing temperature as the erasing temperature of the erasable color material based on the authority information. The CPU 200 controls the heat generation operation of the heater 205 so that the temperature of the roller pair of the heating unit 15 becomes the determined decoloring temperature. The roller pair of the heating unit 15 erases only the coating image of the color erasable material based on the authority information on the paper P by the heat generation of the heater 205.

For example, when the paper ID recognized in the ACT 205 is “P001” or the setting content on the second setting screen 211C in FIG. 8, the first erasable color material (color material 1) having a high erasing temperature is selected. The coating image in the “lower” image area that is being used can be erased only by a specific user having a job title higher than the general manager. On the other hand, the coating image on the image area “above” in which the second erasable color material (color material 2) having a low erasing temperature is used can be erased even by a user without a job title.
Therefore, the recording medium ID is “P001”, for example, and the name (user ID) of the user who desires decoloring is, for example, Ichiro Yamada (001), Wataru Tanaka (002), or Meiko Sakuma (003). In this case, the CPU 200 refers to the user management database (see FIG. 3) and the recording medium management database (see FIG. 4) to grasp the authority information, so that the predetermined decoloring temperature is set to the first decolorizable color material. The decoloring temperature of (coloring material 1) is determined. The CPU 200 controls the heat generation operation of the heater 205 so that the temperature of the roller pair of the heating unit 15 becomes the determined color erasing temperature (the color erasing temperature of the color erasable material 1). The roller pair of the heating unit 15 erases the coating image of the first decolorizable color material (color material 1) formed on the sheet by the heat generated by the heater 205. Further, the determined erasing temperature (the erasing temperature of the first erasable color material) is equal to or higher than the erasing temperature of the second erasable color material. Therefore, the roller pair of the heating unit 15 causes the second erasable color material (color material 2) together with the coating image of the first erasable color material (color material 1) formed on the sheet by the heat generated by the heater 205. The coating image of is erased.

  On the other hand, even if the recording medium ID is “P001”, for example, if the name (user ID) of the user who wants to erase the color is, for example, Michiko Hoshino (004) or Susumu Sato (005), the CPU 200 uses the user management database. (See FIG. 3) and the recording medium management database (see FIG. 4) to grasp the authority information, thereby erasing the predetermined decolorization temperature of the second decolorable color material (color material 2). Determine the temperature. The CPU 200 controls the heat generation operation of the heater 205 so that the temperature of the roller pair of the heating unit 15 becomes the determined color erasing temperature (the color erasing temperature of the second color erasable color material). The roller pair of the heating unit 15 erases only the coating image of the second erasable color material (color material 2) formed on the sheet by the heat generated by the heater 205.

As described above, in the present embodiment, different erasing operations are executed depending on whether or not the recording medium ID is set. Further, even when the recording medium ID is set, different decoloring operations are executed according to the authority information. Accordingly, among the erasable color materials used for the coating image formed on the sheet, the erasable color material corresponding to the authority information in the recording medium management database is erased. By erasing the coating image, an image of the color erasable material covered by the coating image can be visually recognized.
Therefore, the user can perform security setting while performing various stages (superiority), for example.
When the operation of ACT 210, ACT 204, or ACT 209 ends, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 proceeds to ACT 211. In ACT 211, the CPU 200 controls the sheet conveyance controller 208 so that the sheet is discharged. The sheet conveyance controller 208 drives the sheet conveyance motor 209 to operate the conveyance roller in the conveyance path 11 and convey the sheet to the paper discharge unit 20. The paper discharge unit 20 stores the conveyed sheet in any one of a plurality of discharge trays. With the above operation, the image processing apparatus 100 ends the decoloring operation for one sheet.

  Prior to the erasing operation of ACT 210, the image processing apparatus 100 has a erasable image selection function that accepts a user's selection of a coating image to be erased (decolorable color material). According to this decoloring image selection function, a user who satisfies a specific condition, for example, a specific user who is given the authority to decolor a decolorizable color material (first decolorable color material) having a high decoloring temperature, Before the erasing operation, it is possible to select a coating image to be erased (color material that can be erased).

  For example, in the ACT 208, when the specific user based on the authority information is a user who is given the authority to erase the first erasable color material, the CPU 200 selects the selection screen 211G for the erasable image selection function ( The display unit 211 is controlled so that (see FIG. 13) is displayed. Note that an administrator of the image processing apparatus 100 or the like can set in advance whether or not to display the selection screen 211G for the erased image selection function on the display device 211. For example, when it is set not to display the selection screen 211G, the CPU 200 does not display the selection screen 211G on the display device 211. Therefore, when it is set not to display the selection screen 211G, the user cannot use the erased image selection function.

Hereinafter, the selection screen of the erased image selection function will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a selection screen 211G for accepting selection by the user of a coating image to be erased (color material that can be erased).
As illustrated in FIG. 13, the selection screen 211G includes a message area 211G1, a decoloring preview area 211G2, a decolored image selection unit 211G3, a determination button 211G4, and a cancel button 211G5.
In the message area 211G1, a message prompting the user to select a coating image to be erased is displayed. The display unit 211 displays, for example, a character string such as “Please select a coating image to be erased” in the message area 211G1 as the message.
In the erasing preview area 211G2, the sheet P before erasing processing on which an image is formed is displayed. The display unit 211 displays an image (see ACT 202) of the sheet P read by the sheet reading unit 14 in the decoloring preview area 211G2.
For example, in the decoloring preview area 211G2 in FIG. 13, a sheet P in which the coating image of the image 1 is formed in the lower area and the coating image of the image 2 is formed in the upper area in the drawing is displayed. Further, in the preview area 211G2, an image (a part of the original image) of the color erasable material that is not covered with the coating image on the sheet P is displayed.
The coating image of image 1 is, for example, an image using the first decolorizable color material having the highest decoloring temperature, and the coating image of image 2 is, for example, the second decolorable color material having the low decoloring temperature. This is the image used.

Further, in the example of FIG. 13, as an image of the color erasable material that is not covered with the coating image, for example, an image of a character string indicating a title “about XX year, month, day of XX”, for example, An image of a character string indicating the headings “Summary” and “Details” is formed on the sheet P.
As described above, the selection screen 211G in FIG. 13 is displayed when the specific user based on the authority information in ACT 208 is a user who is authorized to decolor the first decolorizable color material. 211. In other words, a user who operates the screen of the selection screen 211G in FIG. 13 is a user who is given the authority to erase the first erasable color material, for example, a user who has the title of president or general manager.

As described above, the image of the sheet P read by the sheet reading unit 14 in ACT 202 is displayed in the decoloring preview area 211G2 of the selection screen 211G. Further, the coating image of image 1 and the coating image of image 2 are displayed in preview area 211G2.
The user refers to the image of the paper P displayed in the decoloring preview area 211G2 and operates the decoloring image selection unit 211G3 to select the coating image of the decolorable color material to be decolored.
The decolored image selection unit 211G3 is a selection unit that accepts selection by a user of a coating image of a decolorable color material to be decolored.
In the decolored image selection unit 211G3 shown in FIG. 13, the user can select either “all decolored” or “decolored only image 2”. For example, when the user wants to erase all the coating images (the coating images of the image 1 and the image 2) displayed in the decoloring preview area 211G2, the user selects the “decoloring all” check mark. For example, when the user wants to erase only the coating image of the image 2 displayed in the preview area 211G2, the user selects the “decolor only image 2” check mark. The decolored image selection unit 211G3 illustrated in FIG. 13 is in a state where the check mark “decolorize only image 2” is selected.

As described above, in the decolored image selection unit 211G3 illustrated in FIG. 13, the user can select either “all decolored” or “decolored only image 2”.
Therefore, for example, when the user wants to know only the contents of “Summary” of “XX meeting of XX year, XX month, XX day”, the user selects the “decoloration only for image 2” check mark.
The determination button 211G4 receives the completion of selection by the user. When the user completes selection of the coating image to be erased, the user operates the determination button 211G4.
The cancel button 211G5 accepts cancellation of selection by the user. The user operates the cancel button 211G5 when canceling the selection of the coating image to be erased.
When the determination button 211G4 receives the completion of selection by the user, the display unit 211 outputs the selection content received via the selection screen 211G to the CPU 200.

When the coating image of the erasable color material to be erased is selected on the selection screen 211G as described above, in the ACT 210, the CPU 200 performs heating so that the selected erasable color material is erased. The unit 15 is controlled.
Therefore, even if the user is authorized to erase all the coating images (for example, the president or the general manager), the coating image (first color erasable material) of image 1 in FIG. 13 is not erased. Only the coating image (second color erasable material) of image 2 can be erased.
For example, in the sheet P in which the coating image of the image 2 is erased, when the user who has read the content of the “overview” needs to know the content of the “detail” covered by the image 1, the sheet P May be set again in the paper feeding unit 10 of the image processing apparatus 100 and the coating image of the image 1 may be erased.
On the other hand, when the user thinks that it is not necessary to know the details of “details”, it is not necessary to perform the decoloring process again. Therefore, the user can store the sheet P in a state where the image 1 is not erased, or can discard it with a shredder or the like.
As described above, a specific user (for example, a president or a general manager) who has the authority to erase the color erasable with the highest color erasing temperature (first color erasable material) can make all coating images (erasable). Despite being able to decolor (colorable color material), only a part of the coating image (for example, only the second decolorable color material) can be selectively decolored by using the decolored image selection function. Can do.

For example, in the preview area 211G2 in FIG. 13, the “XX year, month, day XX meeting” described in the title part of the sheet P is one of the users registered in the user management database (eg, Watanabe Tanaka). ) Only attend, and other people (for example, registered users under the section manager) may not attend this meeting.
In such a case, the director who is a user attending the conference needs to know the details of “details”, but attendees who are not registered in the user management database need only know the contents of “summary”.
Therefore, when it is assumed that a person other than the general manager who is the registered user views the sheet P after the color erasing process, the general manager who is the registered user sets a check mark “decolored only for image 2” from the screen of FIG. Select and operate the “OK” button.
In the selection screen 211G of FIG. 13, when the user selects the “decoloration of only image 2” check box and operates the “decision” button, the display unit 211 receives it via the selection screen 211G as described above. The selected contents are output to the CPU 200. In the ACT 210, the CPU 200 controls the heating unit 15 so that the selected second erasable color material is erased.

As a result, only the coating image of the image 2 on the sheet P displayed in the preview area 211G2 is erased. A person other than the general manager who is a user can see only the contents of the “outline” of the “XX year, month, day XX meeting” by looking at the sheet P after the decoloring process.
On the other hand, when a person other than the general manager who is the registered user does not see the sheet P after the color erasing process, the general manager who is the registered user selects the “decolor all” check mark from the screen of FIG. Operate the “OK” button.

In the selection screen 211G of FIG. 13, when the user selects the “decolor all” check mark and operates the “decision” button, the display unit 211 receives the selection received via the selection screen 211G as described above. The contents are output to the CPU 200.
In the ACT 210, the CPU 200 controls the heating unit 15 so that the selected first and second decolorizable color materials are erased.
As a result, the coating images of the images 1 and 2 on the sheet P displayed in the preview area 211G2 are erased. The general manager who is a registered user can see the “outline” and “detail” contents of the “XX meeting of XX year, month, month, and day” by looking at the sheet P after the erasing process.

  As described above, the print mark 1003 related to the authority information may be a mark corresponding to the erasable color material to be used and the authority information (see FIG. 4) for each erasable color material. In this case, in the ACT 208, the CPU 200 allows the color erasable and erasable based on the print mark 1003 without referring to the user management database (see FIG. 3) and the recording medium management database (see FIG. 4). Know the authority information for each colorant.

The image processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, and can selectively erase a plurality of decolorable color materials based on the authority information by executing the above-described processing and operations.
Therefore, for example, the security of the sheet P can be appropriately maintained by the image processing apparatus 100.
Furthermore, in the image processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, when an image is formed, flexible and fine security settings are made in accordance with the organizational hierarchy (post) and the nature of the document included in the image of the sheet P. Can do.
Furthermore, the image processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment can select an image to be erased (coating image) or a color material to be erased according to necessity when the image is erased. The processing time can be shortened and various costs can be saved.

In the above-described embodiment, the first image forming unit 13A is a unit that employs an electrophotographic system that uses non-decolorable toner as a non-decolorable color material, but is not limited thereto.
The first image forming unit 13A may be a unit that employs an ink jet type that uses a non-decolorable ink as a non-decolorable color material.
When the first image forming unit 13A is an ink jet type unit, the heating unit 15 does not function as a fixing unit but functions only as a decoloring unit.
Similarly, the second image forming unit 13B may be a unit that adopts an ink jet type using a decolorable ink as a decolorable color material.

In the above-described embodiment, the recording medium ID and the password are stored in the storage device 207 of the image processing apparatus 100, but are not limited thereto.
That is, the recording medium ID and password may be stored in an external device of the image processing apparatus 100 such as a network server. The same applies to the owner of the recording medium management database and the user management database. When the recording medium management database and the user management database are stored in the external apparatus of the image processing apparatus 100, the CPU 200 of the image processing apparatus 100 communicates with the external apparatus via the I / F 206 to update the database and update the database. Processing such as reference may be performed.
In the case where an ink jet unit is used, the ink jet unit may be arranged along the transport path 11 without using the transfer belt 13C.

The image processing apparatus 100 according to the above-described embodiment manages authority information for erasing the erasable color material for each sheet in the recording medium management database, but the method for managing the authority information is limited to this. Not.
In other words, the image processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment may manage authority information for each file including a plurality of pages in the recording medium management database.
When authority information is managed for each file, the image processing apparatus 100 prints a print mark 1003 related to authority information unique to each sheet with respect to one file during an image forming operation, and a recording medium ID for each sheet. Are assigned sequentially, and the authority information is generated for each recording medium ID of one file. The decoloring operation of the image processing apparatus is basically the same as in the above-described embodiment.

If some of the sheets of a plurality of pages constituting one file are missing, the image processing apparatus displays a display screen for warning or requesting confirmation from the user during the erasing operation. Then, it is preferable to continue the decoloring operation.
With this configuration, the image processing apparatus 100 can process many sheets constituting one file at a time.

In the above-described embodiment, the image processing apparatus 100 is configured to display various screens and accept input operations by the user using the display unit 211 and the operation unit 210 of the image processing apparatus 100. The user input operation is not limited to this.
In other words, the image processing apparatus 100 may perform some or all of the above-described display of various screens and reception of input operations by the user with an external device, for example, a client PC.

In the above-described embodiment, the image processing apparatus 100 is configured not to operate the sheet reading unit 14 when performing image formation. However, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 is not limited to this.
That is, when performing image formation, the image processing apparatus 100 can also operate the sheet reading unit 14 to read a sheet image.
In this case, the CPU 200 of the image processing apparatus 100 determines whether or not the print mark 1003 related to the authority information has been correctly read by the sheet reading unit 14.
When the CPU 200 determines that the print mark 1003 cannot be read, the CPU 200 displays an error message indicating that the print mark 1003 cannot be read, a message indicating whether or not to perform image formation again on another sheet, or an error. The display unit prompts the display unit to discard the discarded paper.

  Further, the plurality of decolorable color materials in the above-described embodiment are color materials that can be decolored by being heated to different decolorization temperatures. However, the decolorizable color material is decolored depending on other decolorization conditions. It may be a coloring material. For example, the plurality of decolorable color materials may be color materials that can be decolored by irradiation with light of different wavelengths.

  According to the aspect of the embodiment, it is possible to provide a technique for overlay printing and erasing operation for the purpose of security protection of a printed matter.

  It should be noted that the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the spirit or main features thereof. Therefore, the above-mentioned embodiment is only a mere illustration in all points, and should not be interpreted limitedly. The interpretation of the technical matters indicated by the claims is not limited to the text of the specification. Further, all modifications, various improvements, alternatives and modifications belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention.

100 Image processing apparatus (image forming apparatus, erasing apparatus)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Paper feed part, 11 Conveyance path 13 Image formation part, 13A 1st image formation part, 13B 2nd image formation part 13C Transfer belt 14 Reading part 15 Heating part (fixing part, decoloring part)
16 Transfer roller, 20 Paper discharge unit 31 Document reading unit 200 CPU, 202 ROM, 203 RAM, 204 CCD sensor 205 Heater, 206 Interface (I / F)
207 Storage device 208 Sheet conveyance controller, 209 Sheet conveyance motor 210 Operation unit, 211 Display unit P Paper, 1003 Print mark.

Claims (18)

An image forming apparatus,
A controller that generates authority information indicating authority for each of the decolorizable color materials capable of decoloring a plurality of decolorable color materials to be decolored under different predetermined decoloring conditions;
An image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium using the plurality of decolorable color materials and forms a mark related to the authority information on the recording medium;
Have The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The authority information is user information indicating a specific user who is given the authority to decolor the erasable color material. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The image forming apparatus further includes a storage unit that stores the authority information.
The control unit stores the authority information in the storage unit for each of a plurality of decolorable color materials used in the image in units of the recording medium on which the image is formed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
The control unit generates recording medium identification data for identifying the recording medium on which the image is formed, and stores the authority information in the storage unit in association with the recording medium identification data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4,
The control unit generates image data of the mark corresponding to the recording medium identification data,
The image forming unit forms an image of the mark corresponding to the recording medium identification data based on the image data of the mark. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4,
The image forming apparatus further includes an operation unit that receives the color erasable material used for the image, the authority information for each color erasable material, and the recording medium identification data input by a user. ,
The control unit stores the received erasable color material and the authority information for each erasable color material in the storage unit in association with the received recording medium identification data. . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The image forming unit includes a first image forming unit that forms an image using an erasable color material, and a second image forming unit that forms an image using the plurality of erasable color materials,
The second image forming unit forms an image of the color erasable color material by superimposing it on at least a part of the image of the color erasable material formed by the first image forming unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7,
The second image forming unit forms an image of the erasable color material in a form in which it is difficult to visually recognize a partial image of the erasable color material. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The decolorizable color material is a color material that is decolored at a decoloring temperature that is a predetermined decoloring condition, and the plurality of decolorable color materials have different decoloring temperatures. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The control unit generates image data of the mark corresponding to the authority information for each erasable color material used and the erasable color material,
The image forming unit forms an image of the mark corresponding to the erasable color material used and the authority information for each erasable color material based on the image data of the mark. A decoloring device,
A color erasing unit for erasing an image formed on a recording medium using a plurality of color erasable materials having different color erasing conditions;
Grasping authority information indicating authority for each erasable colorant that can erase the erasable colorant,
A control unit that controls a decoloring operation of the decoloring unit so that an image of the decolorable color material is decolored according to the grasped authority information;
Have The erasing apparatus according to claim 11,
The authority information is user information indicating a specific user who is given the authority to decolor the erasable color material. The erasing apparatus according to claim 11,
Further, the erasing apparatus has a storage unit for storing the authority information,
The storage unit stores the authority information for each of a plurality of decolorable color materials used in the image in association with recording medium identification data for identifying the recording medium. The erasing apparatus according to claim 13,
Further, the erasing apparatus has a sheet reading unit that reads an image of a mark corresponding to the recording medium identification data formed on the recording medium,
The control unit correlates with the recording medium identification data corresponding to the image of the mark read by the sheet reading unit, and erases the color of the decoloring unit according to the authority information stored in the storage unit Control the behavior. The erasing apparatus according to claim 11,
The decolorizable color material is a color material that is decolored at a decoloring temperature that is a predetermined decoloring condition, and the plurality of decolorable color materials have different decoloring temperatures. The erasing apparatus according to claim 15,
The decoloring section heats the decolorable color material at a heating temperature corresponding to the decolorization temperature in order to decolor the image of the decolorizable color material,
The control unit controls the heating temperature of the decoloring unit according to the authority information. The erasing apparatus according to claim 11,
Furthermore, the erasing apparatus has a sheet reading unit that reads an image of a mark corresponding to the authority information for each of the erasable color material used and the erasable color material formed on the recording medium. ,
The controller is
Based on the image of the mark read by the sheet reading unit, grasp the authority information for the erasable color material to be used and the erasable color material,
The color erasing operation of the color erasing unit is controlled according to the grasped color erasable color material and authority information for each color erasable color material. An image forming method comprising:
The controller generates authority information indicating authority for each erasable colorant capable of erasing a plurality of erasable colorants to be erased under different predetermined erasing conditions,
An image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium using the plurality of erasable color materials, and forms a mark related to the authority information on the recording medium.